Combined air-brake-setting device and alarm.



10.845736 PATENTED MAE. 5, 1907. E

E. E. ADEEON. l COMBINED AIE BRAKE SETTING DEVICE AND ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30,` 1906.

ROBERT E. ADREON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COMBINED AIR-BRAKE-SETTING DEVICE AND ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed November 30,1906. Serial N0. 345,593.

improve the construction of a similar device for which Letters Patentwere issued to me January 2, 1906, No. 808,711.

A further object of my invention is to combine a brake-valve and awhistle-valve in a single housing and to provide for the maintenance ofthe air-pressure of the train-line on both of said valves to force thesame against their respective seats.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the brake-valve thatwhen the valve is forced from its seat there is a very smallexhaust areabetween the valve and its seat until said valve has receded somedistance from its seat, thus providing a means of finer graduation ofexhaust area and removing any tendency of he brake-valve to suddenlyopen its full extent after becoming unseated by pressure applied to theoperating-handle.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby either oneof the valves is directly engaged when opened, thus insuring positiveaction and perfect control.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter set forth,pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section taken approximately through thecenter of my improved device, the same being shown connected to thetrain-line and provided with a hook whereby said device is connected toa car-rail. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the brake-valve with parts brokenaway to more clearly illustrate the same. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. x Referring by numerals to theaccompanying drawings, 1 designatesthe main body portion of thevalve-housing, which is preferably cylindrical in form, and integralwith the upper end thereof is a whistle-housing 2, there being a vent 3formed through the top of the housing 1 immediately beneath the openinginto the whistle-housing 2.

4 designates a cylindrical member whichis connected to the body 1 by apair of vertically-disposed webs 5 and also by a hood 6, which covers avent 7 between the cylindrical portion 4 and said body 1.

Theupper ends of the webs 5 terminate in a ring 5a ,integral with thebody 1 and which serves as a bearing for the cylindrical head of abrake-valve hereinafter specified.

A nipple 8 is detachably seated on the lower end of the cylindricalmember 4, and secured in any suitable manner to the'lower end of saidnipple is a iexible tube 9, provided on its lower end with ahand-coupling, (not shown,) the purpose of this flexible tube andcoupling being to provide a quick means of attachment to the air-braketrain-line, so that the valve may be readily attached `to any car.

Where it is desired that the valve remain as a fixture on one car, itmay be connected to the air-brake train-line by means of metal pipe anda suitable fitting screwed into member 4 of valve-housing.

Formed through the top of the lcylindrical member 4 is a circularaperture having a valve-seat 1.2, and adapted to engage upon said seatis a brake-valve 13, with the top of which is formed integral a pair ofoppositely-arranged tubular legs 14, which normally bear against theinner faces of the webs 5, and formed integral with the upper" ends ofsaid tubular legs is a cylindrical head 15, which is positioned in themainl body portion 1 of the housing and which bears upon the ring 5a.

The openings in the tubular legs 14 extend upwardly through the head 15,as designated by 16, and the upper ends of these openings 16 areconnected by transversely-arranged passage-ways 17,

Formed integral with the top of the valve 13, between the tubular legs14, are the vertically-disposed flanges 18, the top surfaces of whichare inclined in differentdirections, thus providing means wherebygraduated openings are formed when the valve opens and closes inoperation. y

Supported in any suitable manner within the tubular member 4 is anexpansive coilspring 19, the upper end of which bears IOO IIO

against the under side of the valve 13, and located at any suitablepoint below this spring, within the member 4 or within the nipple 8, isa screen or reticulated plate 20, which is for the purpose of preventingcinders and like foreign matter from passing through the nipple and intothe valve-housing.

VVhile the spring 19 and screen 20 are preferred, it will be readilyunderstood that either or both may be eliminated without rendering thevalve inoperative.

Formed in the head 15, immediately below the transverse passage-way 17,is a recess 21, and leading downwardly therefrom through the head 15 isa circular opening 22, there being an inclined shoulder 23 formedbetween said chamber 21 and opening 22, which shoulder forms avalve-seat. Passing diametrically through the head 15, a short distancebelow the chamber 21 and intersecting the opening 22, is a port' 24. Avalve 25 normally rests on the shoulder 23, which valve is provided witha depending stem 26, which passes downwardly through the opening 22 andsaid stem being reduced in diameter immediately beneath the valve 25, asdesignated by 27. Removably seated in the upper end of the head 15,above the passageway 17, is a cap 28, and interposed between said capand the valve 25 is an expansive coil-spring 29, which normallymaintains said valve 25 upon its seat. As the pressure of air from theair-brake train-line is on top of this valve, the spring 29 is notessential, but produces an additional means of promptly returning valve25 to its seat on the shoulder 23.

The lower end of the valve-stein 26 projects slightly beyond the lowerside of the head 15, and formed integral with the tubular legs 14, ashort distance below the said head 15, is a horizontally-disposed web30.

Operating through an opening Jformed in the rear side of thevalve-housing, below the main body 1 thereof, and liournaled upon atransversely-arranged pin 31 is a iinger 32, the forward end of which ispositioned between the web 30 and the lower end of the valve-stem 26.Formed integral with the rear end of said iinger 32 is a lateralextension 33, with the outer end of which is formed integral averticallydisposed handle 34, which normally occupies a positionimmediately to the right and slightly to the rear of the valve-housing.The important feature of this handle arrangement is that the handle isjournaled to the valve-housing approximately opposite the vent 7,whereas the handle in my prior patent (above referred to) was journaledto the valve-housing at the whistle-chamber, where any lost motion ofthe handle, due to wear or inaccurate iitting, would rob the whistle ofa certain amount of air; but the handle being located in the eX-haust-cavity removes this objection.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: The housing connectedto the trainline hangs on the hand-rail oi the car-plati'orm and theoperator stands immediately behind the device and manually engages thehandle 34. Normally the pressure orl the air in the train-line maintainsboth the valves 13 and 25 closed until the handle is moved 1forwardly tounseat the brake-valve 13 or `pulled rearwardly to unseat thewhistlevalve 25. When it is desired to sound an alarm by blowing thewhistle, the operator pulls the handle 34 rearwardly and by so doingelevates the forward end of the 'linger 32, which movement elevates thevalve-stem 26 and valve 25, and as soon as this action takes place airwill pass downwardly through the recess 21 beneath the valve 25 which isbeing held open, and irom thence through the port 24 to the interior oithe body 1 oi the housing, and irom thence through the vent 3 across themouth oi the housing 2, thus sounding the whistle. As soon as thepressure of the hand on the handle 34 is released the airpressure,together with the action ol" the spring 29, will immediately close thewhistlevalve 25, and the operation of the whistle will therefore bediscontinued. /Vhen it is desired to unseat the brake-valve, theoperator i'orces the handle 34 forwardly, and by so doing bears upon theweb 30 with the iorward end oi the finger 32, and in so doing causes the'tubular legs 14, head l5, and valve 13 to move downwardly, during whichaction the `flanges 13, having the inclined tops, pass downwardlythrough the opening in which the valve-seat 12 is formed, thus producinggradually-enlarging exhaust-openings through which'the air confined inthe train -line iinds passage to finally escape through the vent 7beneath the hood 6, which action results in a setting of thepowerbrakes. The object of providing ior the graduated openings is toarrange l'or a more sensitive means oi reducing the train-line pressureand to prevent the brake-valve irom chugging open. During this downwardmovement of the valve 13, legs 14, and head 15 the whistle-valve islikewise carried downwardly and is not affected by said movement. Assoon as the pressure on the handle 34 is released the normal pressure inthe train-line causes the valve 13 to instantly close and the variousparts carried by said valve will resume their normal positions.

My improved device is simple in construc- ICO IOS

tion and operation, requires the use of but It is preferable that thewhistle-housing be cast integral with the valve-housing, although itwill be understood that said whistle-housing may be made separate iromthe valvehousing and connected thereto in any suitable manner.

I claim- 1. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of avalve-housing connected to the train-line. a whistle, means wherebycommunication is maintained between the valvehousing and the whistle, avalve arranged for operation in the housing, and normally closed by thetrain-line air-pressure, and a second valve normally held to its seat bythe train-line pressure for closing the communication from thevalve-housing to the Whistle.

2. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housingconnected to the trainline, a whistle, a connection between thevalve-housing and the whistle, a valve operating in the housing andnormally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, means carried bysaid valve for normally closing communication through the connectionbetween the valve-housing and the whistle, and means whereby the valveand the communication-closing means are operated.

3. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housingconnected to the trainline, a whistle, a connection between thevalve-housing and the Whistle, a valve operating in the housing andnormally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, means carried bysaid valve and normally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, forclosing communication through the connection between the valve-housingand the whistle, and means whereby the valve and thecommunication-closing means are independently operated.

4. The combination with an air-brake train-line, of a valve-housingconnected to the train-line, a whistle, a connection between thevalve-housing and the whistle, a valve operating in the housing,`andnormally held closed by the train-line air-pressure, a second valveoperating in the first-mentioned valve and normally seated by thetrain-line airpressure, for preventing the passage of said train-linepressure to the whistle, and means whereby both valves are independentlyoperated.

5. The combination with an air-brake trainline, of a valve-housingconnected to said train-line, a whistle integral with saidvalve-housing, a brake-valve arranged Jfor operation in thevalve-housing and normally closed by the train-line air-pressure, therebeing a chamber formed in the top of said valve, there being passagesformed through said valve whereby the train-line pressure is maintainedwithin the chamber in the upper end of the brake-valve, and a secondvalve operating in the iirst-mentioned valve for controlling the passageof the train-line pressure through the chamber in the brake-Valve to thewhistle, and means whereby said valves are independently operated.

6. In a device of the class described, a valve-housing, awhistle-housing, a brakevalve operating in the valve-housing, a whistle-valve operating in the brakevalve,means whereby both of the valvesare normally maintained upon their respective seats, and means wherebyboth valves are independently operated.

7. In a device of the class described, a valve-housing adapted to beconnected to an air-brake train-line7 a whistle-housing, a brake-valveopera-ting in the valve-housing, a whistle-valve operating in thebrake-valve, which valves are maintained on their respective seats bythe air-pressure in the trainline7 and which whistle-valve controls thepassage of air to the whistle, and means whereby both valves aredirectly engaged and moved in opposite directions to be unseated.

8. In a device of the class described, a valve-housing adapted to beconnected to an air-brake train-line and provided with an inlet-openingand an exhaust-cavty, a whistlehousing carried by the valve-housing, avalve operating in the valve-housing and normally closing the inlet insaid housing, a whistlevalve for controlling the passage of air to thewhistle-housing, means whereby both of said valves are normallymaintained upon their respective seats, and means whereby said valvesare independently o erated.

In testimony whereof Iphave signed my name to this speciiication inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT E. ADREON.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, E. M. HARRINGTON.

TOO

